Effects Of Eco-mat Mulching On Sands Soil And The Tree Growth

Eco-mat is a new type of mulching materials coming from Malaysia and used in sandstorm areas in Beijing for the first time. The main purpose of this paper is to research the effects of Eco-mat mulching sands on soil and the tree growth. Comparing the differences on the physical & chemical properties of soil and the tree growth and photosynthetic parameters, the results were as following:After the floor of the plantation was covered with Eco-mat for two growth seasons, there are significant differences 0~20cm soil moisture and soil temperature. With mulching Eco-mat the soil moisture in the layer of 0~10cm was increased by 18.2%-41.7% and the soil moisture enhanced by 45% in Spring and 24% in Summer. Mulching with belting way has shown the great effect on soil moisture in the layer of 0~10cm and 20~40cm. And the surface soil temperature was reduced by 7.3℃~7.6℃ (relatively ratio 22.0%~35.6% ) in Summer and the daily range of soil temperature was lessened by 10.3℃ (relatively ratio 64.8 % ) ,and the bulk density of the surface soil was increased by 0.059g/cm3. Due to the moisture and temperature of soil were improved, the soil microbe number and the soil nutrients were increased in some degree and the soil respiration rate was 2.5% higher than CK at noon. Meanwhile mulching Eco-mat can control weed growth and reduce the height biomass abundant of weed. The weed species and the weed biomass were decreased by 40% and 99% respectively compared with the CK.Mulched with Eco-mat, the root density was increased by 0.12-4.43 g/1000cm3 in different soil layers, and the annual growth of the treated tree diameter was3. 6%~59. 1% higher than CK about Koelreuteria panicuiata , Populus cathayana , Pinus tabulaeformis, C.sinensis, Piatycladus orientalis. Compared with CK the survival rate was increased by 5.1%, and both the leaf nutrient and the LAI was increased. To Platycladus orientalis Koelreuteria panicuiata ,the daily maximum photosynthetic rate and the Pn in the photosynthesis-saturated point were increased by 30% 28.65 % and 10.6 %~44.3% 13.05%-76.56% respectively compared with the CK; the Tr and Cond were increased to some extent, while the light compensation points and the water-consumption efficiencies of the trees between the treated and CK were not different from each other remarkably.